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| From left to right, panelists Todd Terrell, Vaughn Gilbert, Mimi Limbach and Amy Lientz |
Yesterday, a panel of three terrific communicators shared
their insights and best practices at the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Annual
Meeting in Atlanta. I was privileged to be the moderator for the Communicating
for New Nuclear Facilities session. Their unanimous advice – be as transparent
as you can about your organization’s plans and operations. Don’t hesitate to
reach out to critics. Keep all of your stakeholders apprised of what you’re
doing. And continuously build community and policymaker support.
Nuclear Development Communications Director Todd Terrell
discussed the extensive outreach that Southern Company conducts on a routine
basis, along with the important role that the employee speakers’ bureau plays
in its outreach. And he spoke about the degree to which the company works to be
transparent, including holding periodic meetings with critics whose agendas include environmental, nuclear and policy
issues.
Westinghouse External Communications Director Vaughn Gilbert
shared the company’s excellent new broadcast commercial, which soon will be
shown in a variety of venues including Washington, D.C. He described the
company’s decision to focus on stakeholders outside the nuclear energy industry
whose support will be important to the industry’s future success. And
Westinghouse, too, has reached out to critics.
Amy Lientz, director of communications and government relations
for the Idaho National Lab (INL), described the challenges the Lab faces in
modernizing critical aging facilities and building new ones in an era of tight
budgets, sequestration and continuing resolutions from Congress. The INL, too,
works for transparent communications, while recognizing that some actions – for
example, those involving individual personnel matters – must remain
private. And she recognized the unique
challenges of timely communications from government entities.
ANS members engaged all three panelists in a lively
discussion. And the audience learned that communications best practices apply
to very different kinds of organizations.
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